COLUMBUS, Ohio – During the 2010-11 season nearly 50 former Ohio State men’s hockey players spent the year on ice in multiple professional hockey leagues across the globe including the NHL, AHL, ECHL, CHL, WCHA and European leagues.

Ten former Buckeyes spent time during the season playing in the NHL. Vancouver’s alternate captain, Ryan Kesler, received the Selke Trophy as the NHL’s best defensive forward and helped the Canucks advance to game seven of the Stanley Cup finals against the Boston Bruins. Kesler, in his seventh season with Vancouver, had an outstanding season playing 82 games with a career best 41 goals and 65 takeaways, 80 blocked shots, and 124 hits.

David Steckel started his season with the Capitals and was traded to the New Jersey Devils at the trade deadline. With the Capitals, Steckel played 57 games scoring five goals and totaling 11 points. After moving to the Devils, he played another 18 games posting one goal. Rod Pelley, his teammate with the Devils, finished his fourth season with New Jersey. Pelley’s season consisted of 74 games, where he scored three goals, adding seven assists for 10 points.

The Columbus Blue Jackets had two former Buckeyes on their roster in 2010-11. RJ Umberger, an alternate captain of the Blue Jackets, completed his third season with Columbus and played in 82 games. He had 25 goals, 32 assists and 57 points. The second former Buckeye, Nate Guenin, started the year with Columbus and played in three games with the Jackets. He was traded to Anaheim later in the year and played the majority of the season in the AHL before he was called up for the Ducks’ playoff run.

Matt Bartkowski began his season playing for the Providence Bruins in the AHL. He played 69 games for the squad, scoring five goals and totaling 23 points. Bartkowski was called up by the Boston Bruins for six games during the year. He was on the Bruins’ playoff roster as Boston won the 2011 Stanley Cup.

Zac Dalpe started the year with the Carolina Hurricanes and played 15 games total, scoring three goals and adding an assist. He spent most of the year with the Carolina Checkers, earning AHL all-rookie team honors. He played in 61 games for the Checkers and had 23 goals, 34 assists and 57 points in the regular season. The Checkers advanced to the playoffs, where he played in 16 games, scoring six goals, with seven assists and 13 points.

Sean Collins started the 2010-2011 season playing 73 games in the AHL, scoring four goals with 16 assists and 20 points, before called up to play for the Washington Capitals in the NHL. While with the Capitals, Collins played in four games, scoring one goal. He played in his first career NHL postseason game with the Capitals this year.

Another former Buckeye, Tyson Strachan, spent his third year with the St. Louis Blues and fourth year with the Peoria Rivermen in the AHL. While with the Blues, Strachan played 29 games with one assist and one point recorded. With the Rivermen, he played 13 games with eight assists and eight points.

An Islanders draft pick, Shane Sims, a senior for the Buckeyes in 2010-11, was signed by New York and played in the squad’s regular-season finale.